Gladiolus orchidiflorus Andrews

Plants (80-)180-450(-800) mm high. Corm globose to conic, 12-20 mm diam., producing numerous small cormlets at base; tunics moderately to very coarsely fibrous or thinly leathery to firmly papery. Stem erect below, flexed outward above sheaths of upper, simple or 1-or 2-branched. Leaves (4)5 to 8(10), lower 3 to 7 basal and often in a fan, reaching to ± middle of stem, narrowly lanceolate to linear, sometimes falcate, 2-7(-15) mm wide, soft-textured, sometimes somewhat fleshy, central and sometimes one or more secondary veins lightly thickened, margins occasionally lightly thickened, rarely lightly crisped. Spike inclined, lightly flexuose, flowers in 2 ranks, 5-to 12-flowered; bracts greenish or flushed purple-grey, outer (13-)18-23(-30) mm long, inner slightly shorter to ± as long, notched apically. Flowers greyish green to dull purple, lower 3 tepals with bright yellow to greenish transverse band in upper 1/3 edged distally darker purple, strongly scented of violets; perianth tube narrowly and obliquely funnel-shaped, 9-14 mm long; tepals with papillate ridges along sutures, dorsal longest, narrowly oblong-spathulate, strongly arched, 20-35 x 3-6 mm, upper laterals narrowly spade-shaped, with claws 2-4 mm wide, limbs triangular to lanceolate, 12-16 x 6-17 mm, curving outward distally, somewhat attenuate, lower 3 tepals joined to upper laterals for 2-4 mm and together for 1-2 mm, 11-20 mm long, arching downward, lower median slightly longer or shorter than laterals but ± twice as wide. Filaments strongly arched, 20-25 mm long, exserted 6-20 mm from tube; anthers 5-11 mm long, lilac to purple; pollen cream-coloured. Style arching over stamens, dividing opposite middle to upper 1/2 of anthers, branches 3.5-5.0 mm long. Capsules ellipsoid or occasionally globose, then ± 3-lobed and retuse, 10-23 mm long. Seeds ovate to rotund, 6-8 x 5-6 mm, broadly and evenly winged.

It is a subtropical plant.